Friday, September 05, 2008
More Comments and Dialogue re: and with Rav Perlow and Rav Kamenetsky
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
EVEN MORE responses from callers to Rav Perlow and Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky
from | Renanah Goldhar | ||
to | faigerayzel@gmail.com | ||
date | Tue, Sep 2, 2008 at 8:22 PM | ||
subject | conversations with Rav Perlow and Kamenesky/ also question: what about asking them to ask the Israeli rabbinate to speak out, followed by Diaspora support? | ||
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My comments are in purple.
Yasher Koach! Please ask Rav Perlow why it's a "political situation?" Why is the expulsion the hundreds of thousands of Jews less of a Torah issue then Basar Vechalav. If we want to keep the Mitzvah of Shemittah which is Shabbat Haaretz it's a Torah issue. Observing these Mitzvoth becomes impossible if we give away the Land of Israel. Where is the yearning and desire to keep the Mitzvoth of Eretz Yisroel of Sefer Devarim taught by Moshe Rabbeinu to Am Yisroel especially since he was not going to be leading the Nation into Eretz Yisroel. These Mitzvoth are the key to our survival. We will be unable to keep the Mitzva DOrayta of Shabbat Haaretz. And if you say Shemittah is simply Drabbanon then why is the halacha of Badatz against Heter Mechira and yet now how are their Rabbanim so willing to actually give Eretz Yisroel away? There is also a matter of Al Taamod Al Dam Reiacha which the gov't of Israel is doing withe citizens of Judea and Samaria and Sderot. They are imprisoning the Jews of Judea and Samaria if these Jews protest giving away Eretz Yisroel. What about Pidyon Shvuyim????? There are so many Mitzvoth DOrayta Lo Saaseh there were violated with the expulsion of the people of Gush Katif. What's the point of learning all the gemarras on property rights when one is silent when ones brothers home was destroyed and means of Parnassa taken away and the same is programmed to happen for hundreds of thousands more Chas Vechalila. The IDF has brainwashed it's loyal citizens to abandon it's function as protector of the citizens of Israel to be an instrument of the gov't who make immoral decisions on behalf of the Nation. If the gov't would outlaw Bris Mila does it become a "political situation? or does it still remain a Mitzvah of the Torah. Our Covenant is not a "political situation"
I spoke with Rav Perlow the Noveminker and Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky today. R av Perlow said that we should keep doing whatever we can
We don't have their influence and network infastructure over the masses of Jews as they do.
but that he could not speak with me about the "political situation." I told both Rab Perlow and Rav Kamenetsky that I was a student of the life and writings of Rabbi Dov Weissmandl of blessed memory.Rav Kamenetsky was very warm and sad - it seemed to me.He spoke about supporting the Israeli rabbis ONCE they speak out. He said to do so first would NOT help them or the situation.
I personally spoke to Hadas Rav Eliashiv's secretary and to Rav Efrati. They both said that if a Mishlachat of Chashuva Rabbanim including Rav Perlow, Rav Kamenetsky, Rav Matisyahoo Solomon, Rav Malkiel Kotler would come to Israel with an entourage of other chashuva Rabbanim to ask Rav Eliashiv to speak out for our entitlement of Eretz Yisroel is would be "mashpia". My understanding is that Rav Eliashiv who is bli ayin hara around 97 years old needs to know that his people will back him up. There is no question that all the Rabbanim believe of our entitlement espeicially Rav Eliashiv. The Novaminsker himself reported that Rav Eliashiv said that giving awy Land makes the security situation worse. The Novaminsker himself acknowledged that Gush Katif was a disaster (at Agudah conventions last year). Even Satmar can not disagreeof our entitlement because this is Torah. However, all are afraid to state so publicly. Maybe their concern is what if the Nations of the world express a backlash at the very notion of us insisting on our Land just like Pharoe made it worse for the Jews when Moshe Rabbeinu asked Pharoeh to let the Jews go. Moshe Rabbeinu asked Hashem "Lama Hareiosa?" Why did you make it worse after I spoke up. Rav Eliashiv needs to know that each and every Jew wants Eretz Yisroel very badly and only then will we Am Yisroel have the Zechus of keeping Eretz Yisroel. But if we scorn the Land after Nissim gluyim and give it away no different then Eisav scorned his Bechora for a pot of lentils then why should we expect from Hashem His Divine Povidence?
Well, what about the Israeli rabbinate speaking to him and asking him to speak out?
The Israeli Rabbinate are selected by the gov't and it seems to me that they are first politicians and their halacha is based on politics.
Rabbi Weinberg, Rabbi Waldman and others?Perhaps Rabbi Kamentsky meant that it had to be not individual rabbis. Well - what about Aish Hatorah? What about the Nir Yeshiva?
Everyone is passing the buck. Is Rav Perlow and Rav Kamenestky willing to publicly state that the Land of Israel is our birthright and a gift from G-d. Rav Perlow is Rosh Moetzet Gedolei Hatorah and so is Rav Kamenetsky I believe. If they can not speak up and make a difference then who can? Their leadership influences hundreds of thousands of Orthodox Jews including the more modern orthodox. Rav Kemenetsky is the spiritual mentor of the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation who reach over 50,000 Jews on Tisha Baav alone and they have the network in place to reach 1000's of Yeshivot I believe. Of course Aish Hatorah and Nir Yeshiva should also speak up for Eretz Yisroel as should each and every Jew, man, women and child. And they automatically would if Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah comes out with a Kol Korei. Each child can write a letter to the White House saying this My land and we are obligated to keep, observe the Commandments such as Shemittah which is not the case for even a "peaceful, wonderful Palestinian State" and this will bring the blessings to mankind. I see this matter of getting the Rabbinic Leaders of our generation to speak up for Eretz Yisroel as Tikkun Chait Miraglim the test of this generation!
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Urgent Action Item Response to Calling Campaign to Rav Perlow and Rav Kamenetsky
In a previous email I wrote about a calling campaign to Rav Perlow the Noveminsker Rav as well as Rab Shmuel Kamenetsky and ask them why they remain silent when there is talks going on to give away 93% of Judea and Samaria and dividing Yerushalyim. Below are some of our readers responses to this urgent action item
Please continue to put on the pressures to those in the inner circle of Agudath Yisroel of America. The internal pressure makes a world of difference. We have inside knowledge that if a Mishlachat of Chashuva Rabbanim from Chutz LeAretz such as the Rav Perlow, Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky, Rav Matisyahoo Solomon, Rav Malkiel Kotler, etc. would send a contingent to Erez Yisroel to ask Rav Eliashiv shlita to make a public statement regarding our entitlement of Eretz Yisroel that it would be Mashpia.
Shoshana of Beit Shemesh writes:
Rena writes:
I heard this also last night from friends who were visiting from Jerusalem. Rab Perlow told someone not to bother him about the fact that Jerusalem was to be divided or that Judea and Samaria were going to be given away. I guess that the gedolim who live in America don't believe in HaShem and the very miracle that He has created in bringing Jews back to Eretz Yisrael. How can they live there? I just don't understand. Rena
Robin's response to Rena:
bs"d
Dear Rena, amv"sh
I believe that is the test of our generation. Apparently Hashem has made the Gedolim blind. It is for the purpose of tikkun Chait Hamiraglim and to unite religious and secular Jews in the fact that we are all as one a human and an imperfect generation when it comes to our practice of Torah. Our generation must not cry a bechiya ledorot and therefore not accept a Rabbinic and Spiritual Leadership attitude of being like grasshoppers. It is for our Spiritual Leaders benefit and ultimately for our own that we reject this position of Silence regarding our entitlement of Eretz Yisroel and place our faulty leadership in a position of recognition and sincere regret and kabbala al haatid to speak out with clarity for Eretz Yisroel. Since indeed the Gedolim have the potential of being Gedolim Batorah together with a generation who is worthy and united and insist to show uncompromising belief in the Torah and our Covenant and not accept any other Gods (be it in the form of bribery and tuition subsidies or fear of foreign nations) that masquerade as Torah. It is not with arrogance that I say this since I see my own faults clearly and know that I too am unworthy in many areas of Torah as well.
Kol Tuv and thanks so much for writing and if you can get more information of the people who have evidence that the Gedolim are turning a blind eye, I believe it is proper to advertise it for the purpose of preventing further disengagements and tragedies upon Am Yisroel because of silence and inaction on the part of hundreds of thousands of caring Jews that follow their Rabbinic Leaders.
Lester writes:
Robin's response to Lester:
bs"d
Dear Lester, amv"sh
Thank you so much for writing! That seems consistent with Rav Kamenetsky's typical response. He is polite and empathetic and I've personally spoke to him on a number of occasions but unfortunately he has not instructed the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation to speak about our entitlement to Eretz Yisroel in their programming. Last Tisha Baav they featured Dovid Hatuel speak about retaining faith in Hashem in spite of unbelievable tragedies yet no mention was made of the Disengagement or of the fact that these terrorists committed such a horrific crime and that we must fight such terror. Dovid Hatuel himself did not mention the Disengagement and its tragedy. He only spoke of his personal tragedy of losing his wife and children and somehow getting the strength to carry by keeping his faith in Hashem. I have personally called Michael Rothchild Executive Director who seems extremely empathetic but his hands apparently are tied by their Rabbinic Leadership. I am convinced that his organization, the Chofetz CHaim Heritage Foundation can iif they choose to do so make an unbelievable difference in fact it is for this reason alone to counter the sin of the Miraglim was this organization brought to such popularity and greatness.
This past Tisha Baav they spoke about conquering the bad MIddah of envy and no mention of the terrible decree of the Roadmap or the establishment of a Palestinian State or the sorry state of Sderot as a result of the Disengagement and the tragic consequences of our brethren if such a decree was enacted.
They speak about Ahavas Yisroel etc. but ignore the fact that we allowed Gush Katif to happen and are not preventing another Gush Katif to happen to hundreds of thousands of Jews of Judea and Samaria. Are all these lectures merely lip service. I would call Rabbi Kamenetsky again. He told me on the phone that the religious Zionists believe that Eretz Yisroel is the entire Torah. I answered him isn't Shabbat Kenegged Kol Hatorah Kulah and that Shabbat Haaretz which is Shemittah also Keneged Kol Hatorah Kula. I remember reading a Medrash that says that Eretz Yisroel is Kenegged Kol Hatorah Kula.
If you look at Chumash from the first Rashi till the last pasuk, the entire Chumash has references to Eretz Yisroel and keeping the Mitzvoth in Eretz Yisroel. I believe that Rav Kamenetsky should be engaged in an open debate regarding this topic and not only when he controls which questions he will answer but in an equal setting with someone that wishes to challenge his position of Silence regarding Eretz Yisroel. Thank you for calling.
Shmuel in a voice mail said (not verbatum);
Our desire to rebuild the Temple can not be actualized if we give away Har Habayit and apparently it doesn't seem to be a consideration to Rav Perlow. Perhaps we should choose as our Rabbinic Leaders Rav Ariel and Rav Chaim Richman of Temple Institute and to Rav Zuhn who has a Kollel to study the practical laws of Karbanot in a practical preparation for Moshiach's arrival.
Yosef instant messaged me
I called, Rav Perlow said he didn't want to discuss it and I asked "why"? He answered that he was hanging up the phone.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
ACTION ITEM! URGENT...Breaking News: .Latest from Rav Perlow, Rosh Moetzet Gedolei Hatorah of Agudath Yisroel
Dear List, amv"sh
Please forward to your lists:
Motzei Shabbos Parshat Reeh 5768. Sunday, August 31st 2008
Rav Perlow was called tonight by a fellow activist who asked him politely what about the recent developments in negotiations of giving away 93 percent of Yesha and parts of Yerushalyim and our activist was told not to bother him.
Last Thanksgiving before the summit in Annapolis, didn't Agudath Yisroel of America, after much nudging, finally make a resolution against dividing Jerusalem. At the time we complained that they didn't mention Judea and Samaria. Apparently at that time the State Dept. of American was pushing for a Palestinian State so Agudath Yisroel felt safe speaking out for a United Jerusalem but didn't have the courage to speak out against a Palestinian State. Now that the State Department has gone one step further and is speaking about dividing Jerusalem, why is Agudath Yisroel Silent? Was the resolution simply to pacify those of us that were upset that the Moetzet Gedolei Hatorah weren't speaking out with clarity for Torah?.
Who else should we bother if not Rosh Moetzet Gedolei Hatorah whose every word is followed by hundreds of thousands of Jews when the expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Jews are in the making?.
If we daven to rebuild Yerushalayim and then agree to give it away when we have it, what does this mean?
Getting some annoying phone calls can not compared with the consequences of tragic proportions should these negotiations actualize.
Will tehillim rallies with the theme "We share in their Pain" be the extent of activism after the fact????? Or will we have to face our Creator on Yom Hadin because our Silence was the CAUSE of our brethren's pain?
Willl we be forced to look in the mirror and say it's because we Am Yisroel throughout the world simply couldn't care less about our birthright, our precious gift Eretz Yisroel did the tragedies happen to us and to the entire world?
The Nations of the world, will chas vechalil mock us and say how come you were silent? How full of shame we will feel but worse because our Silence put the entire world in danger.
ACTION ITEM:
Please call Rav Perlow the Noveminker Rav at 718-436-1133 home
Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky 215-477-1000 Yeshiva of Philadelphia 215-473-2798 home
Rav Perlow is Rosh Moetzet Gedolei Hatorah in Agudath Yisroel of America. They have a Washington Office. They have a network of hundreds of thousands of caring Jews that can be mobilized. Simply making resolutions w/o putting the full force of the organization behind the resolution is of no real consequence. Every school child can write a letter. Every parent can pick up the phone to the White House. Business as usual can be put on hold when the lives of our brethren are on the line.
Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky is the spiritual mentor of the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation that reaches over 50,000 caring Jews on TIsha Baav alone. They are networked to thousands of locations, shuls and schools throughout the world. They too can mobilze Am Yisroel to show their love for Eretz Yisroel with concrete action and not just in a world of inspiring lectures that are not implemented.
Please email me the responses of our Rabbanim to your cry for help so that it is documented.
Israel Kaplan writes:
Resolution Adopted at Agudath Israel's 85th National Convention
November 26, 2007WHEREAS, the American government is convening a conference later this week in Annapolis, Maryland in an effort to promote Middle East peace, and particularly to move Israel and the Palestinian Authority toward a final peace agreement; and
WHEREAS, the American government is reportedly urging the parties to proceed to the "final status issues" that remain to be negotiated, including sovereignty over the holy city of Jerusalem; and
WHEREAS, the delegates to the 85th national convention of Agudath Israel of America, following the direction of Agudath Israel's rabbinic leadership, and for reasons relating to considerations of security as well as the singular place Jerusalem has always occupied in Jewish religious and communal life, are deeply pained and concerned about the prospect of Israel relinquishing parts of Jerusalem to Palestinian sovereignty.
NOW, THEREFORE, the delegates to the 85th national convention of Agudath Israel of America hereby resolve that Agudath Israel of America, under the direction of its rabbinic leadership, should communicate to appropriate government officials the organization's strong belief that, for the reasons set forth above, Israel should not relinquish parts of Jerusalem to Palestinian sovereignty, and the American government should not pressure the Israeli government into doing so.
(November 25, 2007 - Stamford, CT)
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Please forward to your lists!